The House has approved legislation that preempts South Florida zoning rules to allow development of contaminated lands.
The Senate approved the measure last week, meaning it next heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis, where he will decide whether to sign it.
Representatives agreed to pass the Senate version (SB 1434) sponsored by Miami Republican Sen. Alexis Calatayud. Hialeah Republican Rep. David Borrero sponsored the House version (HB 979).
The Senate unanimously approved the measure. But the House was more divided, passing it via an 87-24 vote. While several Representatives dissented, there was no discussion on the House floor Tuesday.
The measure would require local governments to allow residential development on contaminated or brownfield parcels of at least five acres next to residential zoning in counties with more than 1.475 million residents and at least 15 municipalities. That applies to three counties: Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach.
Under the proposal, local governments would have to permit qualified parcels to be developed with housing and must administratively approve their subdivision and development applications.
Density could not exceed the average density of adjacent residential zoning districts or 25 units per acre, whichever is lower, though the development’s intensity must match nearby standards.
The measure also would require buffers of at least 20 feet between new developments and surrounding single-family homes or townhouses and impose additional rules if the land previously contained recreational facilities such as golf courses or tennis courts.
In such cases, developers must show the facilities have been unused for at least a year, pay double park impact fees and give nearby property owners an option to buy the land to preserve it as open space.
Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics contributed to this report.